Same-sex referendum: High turnout reported as polls close in Republic of Ireland - Polidicks

[QUOTE] [IMG]http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/304/media/images/83160000/jpg/_83160940_irishnuncastsvote027331608.jpg[/IMG] The polls have closed in the Republic of Ireland, where voters have been taking part in a referendum on whether to legalise same-sex marriage. More than 3.2m people were asked whether they wanted to amend the country's constitution to allow gay and lesbian couples to marry. Polling stations closed at 22:00 BST and counting is due to start on Saturday morning. They reported an "unusually high" turnout on Friday. Irish state broadcaster RTÉ said the turnout in most areas was well ahead of what it had been in recent referendums. Dublin, Limerick and Waterford passed the 60% electorate turnout mark, while in Cork, Carlow, Kilkenny, Donegal, Tipperary, Kerry and Galway it was above 50%. Prior to Friday, votes had already been cast in some islands as well as hospitals, hospices and nursing homes. Irish citizens who are registered are allowed to vote, but there is no postal voting. Many people returned to Ireland to cast their votes. They were asked whether they agree with the statement: "Marriage may be contracted in accordance with law by two persons without distinction as to their sex". The referendum was being held 22 years after homosexual acts were decriminalised in Ireland. In 2010, the Irish government enacted civil partnership legislation, which provided legal recognition for gay couples. [IMG]http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/624/media/images/83158000/jpg/_83158518_ireland.jpg[/IMG] But there are some important differences between civil partnership and marriage, the critical one being that marriage is protected in the constitution while civil partnership is not. [B][U]Presidential candidates[/U][/B] [h=2]A constitutional convention established by the Irish government in 2013 considered the specifics of a proposal on extending marriage rights, as well as discussing other changes to the constitution.[/h]It voted in favour of holding a referendum on same-sex marriage and the date was announced by Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Enda Kenny earlier this year. A separate referendum, on whether the eligibility age of presidential candidates should be lowered from 35 to 21, is being held at the same time, along with a parliamentary by-election in the Carlow-Kilkenny constituency. Same-sex marriage is currently legal in 19 countries worldwide. [/QUOTE] Source: [url]http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32835572[/url] I think regardless of what the result will be, this will stir some shit up, I mean there will be always somebody unhappy about outcome. I am legal alien in Ireland so I can't vote, if I could I would probably vote yes as I can't really see any reason why to vote no. The amount of shit I've heard on radio over past week regarding to this is just unbelievable. Most used argument: Think of the children.

In a morbid way, I'm curious if it ends like Prop 8 where some minority groups vote in such a way to push it over the edge. There would be a lot of salt.

"Think of the children" has never made sense to me in this context. How could this possibly affect the children?

[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirty-fourth_Amendment_of_the_Constitution_(Marriage_Equality)_Bill_2015#Opinion_polls]All the opinion polls[/url] suggest it will pass in a landslide, should be cool

[QUOTE=_Kent_;47783301]"Think of the children" has never made sense to me in this context. How could this possibly affect the children?[/QUOTE] fabulously

[QUOTE=_Kent_;47783301]"Think of the children" has never made sense to me in this context. How could this possibly affect the children?[/QUOTE] Homophobes tend to think gay people are child molesters.

[QUOTE=_Kent_;47783301]"Think of the children" has never made sense to me in this context. How could this possibly affect the children?[/QUOTE] they will be raised by people who are DIFFERENT!

[QUOTE=_Kent_;47783301]"Think of the children" has never made sense to me in this context. How could this possibly affect the children?[/QUOTE] [URL="http://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1454203"]That was used yet my country managed to get the law through. [/URL] But on the other hand Ireland is really a Catholicism country only, so i won't wonder if it will happen.

[QUOTE=smurfy;47783309][url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirty-fourth_Amendment_of_the_Constitution_(Marriage_Equality)_Bill_2015#Opinion_polls]All the opinion polls[/url] suggest it will pass in a landslide, should be cool[/QUOTE] After the disastrous opinion polling of the 2015 UK General Election I'm going to take this with a huge grain of salt.

i know a genius who says that if the yes vote wins that HIV will be on the rise.

[QUOTE=_Kent_;47783301]"Think of the children" has never made sense to me in this context. How could this possibly affect the children?[/QUOTE] [img]http://i.imgur.com/ahwaRc5.jpg[/img] Like that. Maybe. Anyway it's been 9 hours since this was posted, have the results been released? I don't see them anywhere.

When will the results be known?

[QUOTE=BuffaloBill;47785506]When will the results be known?[/QUOTE] Either in Sunday or Monday, but could be today, but it's usually the sunday or Monday as far as i know.

"Think of the children" If I recall dont same-sex couples also successfully raise children?

So far it looks like the vote passed?

The no side have had some pretty convincing arguments I must say [IMG]https://scontent-ams3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/11329918_10206637111224877_5124735838435870130_n.jpg?oh=712f6e06dfb741e25afba3af928b351a&oe=55F7CD61[/IMG] [editline]23rd May 2015[/editline] Apparently its a Yes, the no side have already conceded. [url]http://www.joe.ie/news/marriage-equality-set-to-pass-as-iona-institute-concedes-defeat/497036[/url] [url]https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rubberbandits/45998897199?fref=nf[/url] [url]http://www.rte.ie/news/2015/0523/703207-live-count/[/url]

[QUOTE=cathal6606;47785681]The no side have had some pretty convincing arguments I must say [IMG]https://scontent-ams3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/11329918_10206637111224877_5124735838435870130_n.jpg?oh=712f6e06dfb741e25afba3af928b351a&oe=55F7CD61[/IMG] [editline]23rd May 2015[/editline] Apparently its a Yes, the no side have already conceded. [url]http://www.joe.ie/news/marriage-equality-set-to-pass-as-iona-institute-concedes-defeat/497036[/url] [url]https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rubberbandits/45998897199?fref=nf[/url] [url]http://www.rte.ie/news/2015/0523/703207-live-count/[/url][/QUOTE] I really hope thats the yes side putting those up

I want to be cynical here but I cant, this is a great day for the country.

[QUOTE=cathal6606;47785681] [url]http://www.rte.ie/news/2015/0523/703207-live-count/[/url][/QUOTE] I like this statement from the Iona institute: [quote] The Iona Institute has congratulated the Yes campaign on "a handsome victory" in the marriage referendum. In a statement, the institute said: "They fought a very professional campaign that in truth began long before the official campaign started.[/quote] Gracious losers, imo.

Pretty pleased with the result, it is clearly going to pass by a landslide.

I'm hoping Australia also goes to a referendum about this seeing as public opinion polls indicate Australians want same sex marriage and the politicians we elect are going to keep saying no (even tho Labor has same sex marriage as one of their key policies but the Liberals are against it)

Hoping this helps with the attitude in the North. DUP are arseholes though and would oppose any form of LGBT rights to no end.

meanwhile the presidental age to be younger referendum may have been defeated.

AWWW YEAH! Majority yes vote all over the shop. [url]http://www.theguardian.com/global/live/2015/may/23/counting-underway-for-irelands-referendum-on-marriage-equality[/url]

The hilarious thing is the entire No campaign argument was "Those gays can't raise children!" even though gay couples can already adopt children here. Does anyone care about the bill to lower the minimum age of the president from 35 to 21? I voted yes because I don't think it'll make a difference either way.

[QUOTE=_Kent_;47783301]"Think of the children" has never made sense to me in this context. How could this possibly affect the children?[/QUOTE] Same argument as what they used in France a while back. You need a heterosexual couple to raise a kid and if you allow homosexuals to marry and possibly adopt children you'll ruin everyone's life or something. It's a retarded argument that was debunked countless times and they keep pulling it back out.

[QUOTE=Starlight 456;47783315]Homophobes tend to think gay people are child molesters.[/QUOTE] Some don't even think they are child molesters but decide to be idiots about it anyway. And some of those idiots are actually just closeted gays that can't deal with themselves. Had it myself as a trans, feared getting ostracized and meeting too much stigma in society so I decided to keep it hidden for a long time. It is good that this law got passed, might weaken some stigma and once those bible bashers see that homosexuals aren't "evil sinful deviants" they might stop going "ALL FAGGET R PEDOFEELS!!!!"

I'm quite surprised by the results considering abortion is still illegal over there

[QUOTE=carcarcargo;47786749]I'm quite surprised by the results considering abortion is still illegal over there[/QUOTE] We can deal with that next. As of now the vote is at 62% yes with only 3 areas left to turn up votes, it's certainly going to be a yes vote.

I never knew that such a predominately Catholic country would be accepting of this. Very interesting.